coinsandmedals

I know the note you're referring to and it's a great one!!! British notes are some of the best.  It may be a good addition to your collection at some point.

@MohawkI know this to be a true statement when it comes to this hobby! I would have never predicted my current obsession with the Soho Mint when I was still big into EAC. 

I'll definitely do so, but I should probably do so over on the PMG boards.  I don't want to bore you guys to death with German replacement banknotes and Canadian star notes 

Sadly, I have nothing Irish in my collection at all.....at least not yet.  You never know what getting back into currency may lead me to pick up.  I'm going to have to take a look at some Irish banknotes now and see if anything catches my eye.  

I'm kind of a nerd when it comes to learning about the specifics of actual coin production.  Thanks for your comment!

Thank you for your kind words! I do my best to preserve nice examples when I stumble upon them, even though they are no longer my primary focus. Some years are difficult to track down in higher grades as the lower denominations typically circulated for over a hundred years. Beyond long circulation periods, many of the halfpennies and farthings were melted to produce lightweight counterfeits.  
Oh, just 3000 short of a full set? Wow, I hadn't realized how expansive Napoleonic medals were, but it makes sense given the importance and the contemporary society's general disposition towards medal collecting. I am sure you will find an interesting story to tell with the ones you have! 

Admittedly, this is pretty far from my area of focus, but I agree with your assessment. I enjoyed reading your journal, and I learned a few things that I likely wouldn't have discovered through the course of my pursuits. Thanks for sharing! 
Reading this made me think of the English copper coinage under William III. These coins were not struck by the Royal Mint but instead through an external contract. Under this new contract, 700 tons of copper halfpence and farthings were to be struck on rolled and milled blanks using the finest English copper.  The contractors routinely violated these terms by using cast blanks, which often produced subpar and pitted coins fresh from the dies. There is also some evidence to suggest that the contractors used casting from start to finish on a considerable portion of the 700 tons of copper coinage they produced (Peck, 1964). There is a lot more to the story, and digging through the details is enlightening about how the crown viewed the small change shortage. 

That all seems more than reasonable to me! I am sure you will have a blast learning while you restart that collection. I hope you share your journey with us! 

I couldn't agree more!  I enjoy the quality and designs of the pieces I collect, but it is more often the social and historical factors surrounding their existence that hold my attention. My obsession with the Soho Mint started when I looked into the circumstances giving rise to Matthew Boulton's involvement in solving the small change crisis that plagued England for centuries. I have since abandoned all other projects and now solely focus on this niche area. Perhaps the best part of it all is that there is always something new to learn! 

There's a dealer out there that sells sets of coins from different countries or lots of 5 sets at reasonable to good prices that delivers good coins that I've dealt with mostly for Zimbabwean Bond Coins. That's about the extent of it for me and Ukraine. But 4 of the 5 Bond Coins I submitted from the 25 they sold me came back as MS67. The 5th was MS66. So they send pretty good stuff IMO.

Looks like you continue to be in-range on the grades. Hopefully this isn't costing you a ton in extra shipping fees but enjoy getting back what you can. 

Hi Don!!!!
Sorry it's taken me a bit to reply to your latest entries.  I do apologize.  But the good news is that you look to have had a lot of success with your NGC submissions!!! Congratulations!!  These submissions will definitely help your Custom Set.  How is that coming along, anyway?

I have the luxury of time when making my grade estimates, which usually allows me to be within a point of the assigned grade. I imagine my margin of error would be drastically different if I asked to keep pace with the professionals. Luckily, NGC is working with me on shipping charges, as they should have returned as one group.  

Like you, I got sidetracked by a few other projects. One of these side projects turned into my primary focus this year, and it looks like it will remain a primary focus for the foreseeable future. The competitive side of the registry is now foreign to me, but I enjoy reading about the experiences of others. I wish the custom sets were available on the same platform as the competitive sets. I like the look of the new format. 

Thank you all for your comments
One of the great things that I love about coins is the history you learn when you take the time to research the places and times.  In this case, I came across a nice article at the US State Department website on Italian reunification.  One paragraph was very enlightening in describing the political and social aftereffects of the conquests across Europe of Napoleon I.
"The period of French invasion and occupation was important in many ways. It introduced revolutionary ideas about government and society, resulting in an overthrow of the old established ruling orders and the destruction of the last vestiges of feudalism. The ideals of freedom and equality were very influential. Also of consequence, the concept of nationalism was introduced, thus sowing the seeds of Italian nationalism throughout most parts of the northern and central Italian peninsula. "

Thanks for sharing, Jack. The 1860s were certainly an interesting period in history. Congratulations on your newest acquisition! 

@Revenant I have counted myself out of the registry race for this year. I just have not had the time to devote to it. Maybe once things settle down a bit, I can get back to it. Tonight was one of the first nights in a while that I have been free enough to do anything hobby-related. 
I appreciate your comment about the grading. I have done my best to hone my skills over the years, but I am always learning. 

This is one of the most thorough write-ups I have ever read. Not just concerning this medal but any medal. The read is both enlightening and enjoyable. Generally speaking, a write-up of this length doesn't keep my attention all the way to the end but this one has. This is a well written and enjoyable read. Gary

What a coincidence to have another journal post related to Gustav III of Sweden.  Thank you for an immensely informative article!  ~jack

Try collecting 21st century banknotes. It's all online! You just have to contend with Paywalls! Hats off you! That's work. It'll be quite something when you're finished though.

@Mohawk Thanks, Tom! Your jealousy is well understood given what you collect. I imagine no such records, or perhaps very few, exist for Faustina, but as you mention, that comes with the territory. I suppose to some degree that the mystery adds a bit of appeal, correct? As luck would have it, contemporary documentation is abundant for the areas I collect as Boulton kept meticulous notes on a wide range of subjects. Most of these documents are publicly available, but generally, you can only inspect them in person (i.e., they have not been digitalized). If I had a spare month or two and the requisite funds, I would love to dig through the numerous archives.
Thanks for asking about the set! Lately, I have been struggling to find time to work on the set. I am teaching two upper-level courses on top of my dissertation and countless other obligations. Most of my progress has been made during odd 15-20 minute intervals in which I have "free time" between meetings. So far, I have completed the introduction and about half of the write-ups for individual medals. I still have another ten or so medals to research and write up, but who knows when I will get the free time to do so. My goal is to have it finished in time for the registry awards next year.

@Mohawk Thanks, Tom! Your jealousy is well understood given what you collect. I imagine no such records, or perhaps very few, exist for Faustina, but as you mention, that comes with the territory. I suppose to some degree that the mystery adds a bit of appeal, correct? As luck would have it, contemporary documentation is abundant for the areas I collect as Boulton kept meticulous notes on a wide range of subjects. Most of these documents are publicly available, but generally, you can only inspect them in person (i.e., they have not been digitalized). If I had a spare month or two and the requisite funds, I would love to dig through the numerous archives.
Thanks for asking about the set! Lately, I have been struggling to find time to work on the set. I am teaching two upper-level courses on top of my dissertation and countless other obligations. Most of my progress has been made during odd 15-20 minute intervals in which I have "free time" between meetings. So far, I have completed the introduction and about half of the write-ups for individual medals. I still have another ten or so medals to research and write up, but who knows when I will get the free time to do so. My goal is to have it finished in time for the registry awards next year.

In my opinion, having pieces graded is always worth the wait. While I enjoy testing my skills against the professionals, I place relatively little value on the assigned grade. Sure, it is fun to see how things turn out, but for me, the protection provided by the slab paired with the potential market gain by having them graded makes it all worth it.
By the way, you did a fantastic job with the pictures!

@Mowhawk I appreciate the kind words, Tom! It is nice to see that a few of us have been spared from the current craziness of the market. It appears you have found the perfect niche area of focus to keep you occupied for some time without necessarily breaking the bank.

Were you able to view the lot in person? I know even the big auction houses have trouble catching a coins true appearance at times. At the last ANA/Heritage auction that I was able to attend in person the on-site lot viewing I did completely changed how I was bidding. 
That said, there are definitely crazy prices in the areas that I collect and it is not often that I can view lots in person prior to bidding. I don't have deep pockets so I have to be picky what I bid on. Going into a big auction I may have 6 items that I am both interested in and feel like I have a chance of obtaining. Out of those, I may only bid seriously on 1 or 2 of them. Attached is my most recent auction win. I ended up paying 4 times the estimate but the estimate was rediculously low. This came from the CNG sale earlier in the week. They actually had videos posted of most of the items in the sale which is important to me. If interested it can be seen here. https://cngcoins.com/photos/CNG_Links/video/CNG_118/1277.html
Still not as good as an on site inspection but in my opinion, more informative than a photo.